“While entire communities suffer the consequences of any armed conflict, women and girls are particularly affected because of their status within society and their gender. Rape is often unpunished; it is also increasingly used systematically as a tactic of war.”
The impact of sexual violence on women’s physical and psychological integrity lingers beyond conflicts through social stigma, unwanted pregnancies, and the impunity that perpetrators of such atrocities enjoy after the conflict. Women too often face the added injury of not being able to participate in national or international plans to consolidate peace post-conflict, despite their acknowleged role in communities as peacebuilders.
Transformational change requires a new approach, one that is grounded in the human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination, but also one that recognizes that gender equality can only be achieved if both women and men are involved and their rights fully realized.
"The respectful use of the land and its resources is inextricably linked to the human rights abuses of [against] women and the perpetuation of poverty." Lobi RedHawk, Gray Panthers. It was clear from the remarks made by forum participants that issues around land and inheritance rights are of paramount importance to women, especially women in rural areas and women from indigenous communities. Increase women's participation and representation in land-use planning and policymaking; invest in social and financial services (including through women-led cooperatives); develop and enforce legal frameworks for equal access to land, and support grassroots women's productivity and innovation were just some of the recommendations made to address the barriers to development faced by women and girls in poor rural communities and women who traditionally have been denied control and access to land.
“When our rights are guaranteed, including our sexual and reproductive rights, we are better positioned to make free and informed decisions regarding our health, well-being and futures.” Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights. The need to realize the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women was a recurring theme. Contributors called for the full implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), especially provisions related to universal access to quality, comprehensive and integrated healthcare services, including access to modern contraception; eradication of infant, child and maternal mortality; prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and comprehensive sexuality education for all young people.
"As a 12 year old, I feel that education is a key driving factor for the girl child. It’s her birthright to obtain education and she shouldn’t have to campaign for it." Kehkashan Basu. Gender equality in education, a key target in the current MDGs framework, was widely discussed as an ongoing priority area. Greater efforts are needed to reach those left behind, especially girls from socially excluded groups. The right to quality education must be guaranteed irrespective of income, sex, race/ethnicity, religion, or place of birth or residence. Many also voiced the need for greater participation of girls in areas where they are significantly underrepresented, especially in the field of science and technology. Others emphasized the need for gender norms, relations and structures to be a central component of school curricula to challenge and change negative gender stereotyping and ensure principles of gender equality are instilled in girls and boys early in life.
"The main factors of inequalities are the macho culture ‘normalized’ in society and entrenched in public institutions." Xenia Diaz. Numerous examples were given of the powerful role that social norms play in justifying and sustaining gender inequality and upholding social hierarchies. Contributors described how social norms that prescribe subordinate positions for women create barriers to their full participation in societies; how social norms act to condone violence against women and support impunity; how they drive and legitimate discriminatory practices such as forced and early marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) and son preference; and how they are used to support the stereotyping of certain tasks as ‘men’s work’ or ‘women’s work’, particularly the prevailing assumptions that care work is the domain of women and not of men. Contributors pointed to the education of women and girls about their rights and their worth, and programmes targeted directly at men and boys as important strategies for tackling discriminatory norms and practices. Legal structures that protect and promote women’s rights must also be strengthened, and resources to fund these efforts mobilized. Laws and practices that are harmful to women and girls must be abolished
Several contributors described situations in their home countries and pointed out how violence and intimidation are used systematically against women and girls in a deliberate manner to disempower and keep them from realizing equal rights and opportunities. Penalties are often inadequate and imposed without uniformity, and the victims are routinely marginalized. There was a clear consensus among the contributors – unless the issues around gender-based violence are addressed, gender equality will not be achieved.
“The MDGs are not grounded in a rights-based approach. They have failed to adequately address inequalities that are often masked by a focus on national aggregate targets.” Bethan, Marie Stopes International. Several contributors to the discussion stressed the need for a strong human rights-based approach to the post-2015 development framework. The post-2015 framework, it was argued, should bring forth a new narrative, one that brings out the linkages between economic and social policies, emphasizes states’ obligations to human rights and goesbeyond the limited approach that characterized the MDGs. The new agenda should reveal where targeted efforts are needed, so that all individuals benefit from development.
The impact of sexual violence on women’s physical and psychological integrity lingers beyond conflicts through social stigma, unwanted pregnancies, and the impunity that perpetrators of such atrocities enjoy after the conflict. Women too often face the added injury of not being able to participate in national or international plans to consolidate peace post-conflict, despite their acknowleged role in communities as peacebuilders.
Source: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/newsEvents/Pages/Consolidatingtwomeninconflictsituations.aspx
Source: http://www.eldis.org/go/display&type=Document&id=63557 and
http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/275909
Transformational change requires a new approach, one that is grounded in the human rights principles of equality and non-discrimination, but also one that recognizes that gender equality can only be achieved if both women and men are involved and their rights fully realized.
"The respectful use of the land and its resources is inextricably linked to the human rights abuses of [against] women and the perpetuation of poverty." Lobi RedHawk, Gray Panthers. It was clear from the remarks made by forum participants that issues around land and inheritance rights are of paramount importance to women, especially women in rural areas and women from indigenous communities. Increase women's participation and representation in land-use planning and policymaking; invest in social and financial services (including through women-led cooperatives); develop and enforce legal frameworks for equal access to land, and support grassroots women's productivity and innovation were just some of the recommendations made to address the barriers to development faced by women and girls in poor rural communities and women who traditionally have been denied control and access to land.
“When our rights are guaranteed, including our sexual and reproductive rights, we are better positioned to make free and informed decisions regarding our health, well-being and futures.” Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights. The need to realize the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women was a recurring theme. Contributors called for the full implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), especially provisions related to universal access to quality, comprehensive and integrated healthcare services, including access to modern contraception; eradication of infant, child and maternal mortality; prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and comprehensive sexuality education for all young people.
"As a 12 year old, I feel that education is a key driving factor for the girl child. It’s her birthright to obtain education and she shouldn’t have to campaign for it." Kehkashan Basu. Gender equality in education, a key target in the current MDGs framework, was widely discussed as an ongoing priority area. Greater efforts are needed to reach those left behind, especially girls from socially excluded groups. The right to quality education must be guaranteed irrespective of income, sex, race/ethnicity, religion, or place of birth or residence. Many also voiced the need for greater participation of girls in areas where they are significantly underrepresented, especially in the field of science and technology. Others emphasized the need for gender norms, relations and structures to be a central component of school curricula to challenge and change negative gender stereotyping and ensure principles of gender equality are instilled in girls and boys early in life.
"The main factors of inequalities are the macho culture ‘normalized’ in society and entrenched in public institutions." Xenia Diaz. Numerous examples were given of the powerful role that social norms play in justifying and sustaining gender inequality and upholding social hierarchies. Contributors described how social norms that prescribe subordinate positions for women create barriers to their full participation in societies; how social norms act to condone violence against women and support impunity; how they drive and legitimate discriminatory practices such as forced and early marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) and son preference; and how they are used to support the stereotyping of certain tasks as ‘men’s work’ or ‘women’s work’, particularly the prevailing assumptions that care work is the domain of women and not of men. Contributors pointed to the education of women and girls about their rights and their worth, and programmes targeted directly at men and boys as important strategies for tackling discriminatory norms and practices. Legal structures that protect and promote women’s rights must also be strengthened, and resources to fund these efforts mobilized. Laws and practices that are harmful to women and girls must be abolished
Several contributors described situations in their home countries and pointed out how violence and intimidation are used systematically against women and girls in a deliberate manner to disempower and keep them from realizing equal rights and opportunities. Penalties are often inadequate and imposed without uniformity, and the victims are routinely marginalized. There was a clear consensus among the contributors – unless the issues around gender-based violence are addressed, gender equality will not be achieved.
“The MDGs are not grounded in a rights-based approach. They have failed to adequately address inequalities that are often masked by a focus on national aggregate targets.” Bethan, Marie Stopes International. Several contributors to the discussion stressed the need for a strong human rights-based approach to the post-2015 development framework. The post-2015 framework, it was argued, should bring forth a new narrative, one that brings out the linkages between economic and social policies, emphasizes states’ obligations to human rights and goesbeyond the limited approach that characterized the MDGs. The new agenda should reveal where targeted efforts are needed, so that all individuals benefit from development.